Initiating apparatus.



No. 811,702- PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906. L. D. 000K.

INITIATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1905.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

amawto a No. 811,702. PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906. L. D. 000K.

INITIATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APE. 10, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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NF m mm E 4 5 ZZ I amen woe UNITED srArns PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS D. COOK, OF MOUNT HOLLY SPRINGS, PENNSYLVANIA.

IINITIIATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1906.-

A li ti fil d April 10, 1905. Seria1No.254,891.

To 41 717 whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS 1). 000K, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Holly Springs, in the county of Cumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Initiating Apparatuses and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable oth ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is an improved initiating apparatus to be used in initiating candidates to membership in secret order organizations; and it consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the initiating apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same looking in one direction. Fig. 3 is a similar view looking in the reverse direction. Fig. 4 is a verti cal transverse sectional view of the same.

Fig. 5 is'a detail perspective view of the firing mechanism, and Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of the panel locking and releasing mechanism.

In the embodiment of my invention I provide a box or casing 1, which is here shown as in the form of a book and is provided with a hinged cover 2, in which is a revoluble panel 3, the pivots of which are indicated at 4. A coil-spring 5'is also provided, which is concealed within the panel and which serves to rotate the panel in one direction, the spring being wound by first manually turning the panel in the reverse direction. The hinged cover 2 carries a locking bolt 6 to engage either end of the panel and lock the same with either side thereof outermost. The locking-bolt is normally held in looking position by a spring 7 and is operated by a lever 8, which has an operating-rod 9 and a pressbutton 10, the said rod being guided in an opening in a cleat 11 on the inner side of the hinged cover or lid. In one side of the open ing in the hinged cover or lid in which the revoluble panel is mounted are a pair of contact-plates 12, which are connected, by means of suitable conducting-wires 13, to the terminals of a battery 14 in the box or casing. In the conducting-wires is included a switch 15, which is located at one end of the box or casing. On opposite sides of the revoluble panel are electric lamps 16 17, the former being on the obverse side of the revoluble panel and the latter on the reverse side thereof. On the obverse side of the panel is displayed a device 18, which may be, say, the emblem of the organization, and on the reverse side of the panel is another device 19, which may be symbolic of the controlling principle or virtue which it is the object and aim of the society to promote. The lamps on the respective sides of the panel maybe either of the same color or of different colors. The conductors of the respective lamps successively contact with the contact-plates 12 when the panel is turned or reversed, and when the switch is on the lamp which is on the outer side of the panel will be burning, while the lamp which is within the casing on the opposite side of the panel will be out of circuit with the bat terv.

It will be understood that the lamps will serve to illuminate the devices 18 19, respectively, on the opposite sides of the panel.

In the box or casing is a firing mechanism for exploding one or more cartridges simultaneously with the turning of the panel when the latter is released, which firing mechanism I will now describe. A bar 20, which is disposed longitudinally of the box or casing, is secured on the bottom thereof near one side and has a recess 21, in which is a plate 22, which is provided at one end with a shoulder 23. In the said recess of the said bar is mounted a firing-block 24, which is pivoted at one end, as at 25. The said firing-block is adapted to close against and to bear upon the shoulder 23 and to be locked in closed position by a spring-detent 26. A spring 27 is provided, the function of which is to open the pring-blockwhen the detent is released there- "rom.

Above the firing-block is a bar 28, which is secured to the bar and carries firing-pins 29, which register, respectively, with the cartridge-chambers 30 of the firing-block, so that when the firing-block is in closed position the cartridges are directly under the firingpins. On the bar 20 are secured the outer ends of spring-hammers 31, which carry firing-heads 32 at their free ends. Each of" the said spring-hammers is provided in its free end with a slot 33. Revoluble trip-rods 3 1 have their lower ends mounted in suitable bearings with which the bar 20 is provided. Said trip-rods extend through the slots in the hammer-springs and are provided. at their lower ends with trigger-arms 35 and near their upper ends with detent-arms 36, which are adapted to be turned into and out of registr with the slots of the hammer-springs an are disposed at suitable angles with reference to the trigger-arms.

, The operation of my invention is as follows: When the firing-block has been loaded with cartridges, it is turned to firing position and locked by the detent 23, the hammersprings having been previously raised and engaged by the detent-arms of the trip-rods. The act of turning the trip-rods to the position required to cause them to engage and hold the spring-hammers in cocked position disposes the trigger-arms of the trip-rods in the path of one side of the revoluble displaypanel. The panel is initially disposed so that the lamp 16 and device 18 are outermost and the switch is closed, so as to cause the light 16 to burn, and hence to illuminate the said device 18. The candidate for initiation is directed to approach, and the person or one of the persons performing the ceremony of initiation at the proper time pushes and releases the push-button 10, whereupon the spring in the panel causes the latter to revolve suddenly through half a revolution, so as to display the reverse lamp and device. It will be understood that as the panel thus turns it strikes the trigger arms of the trip-rods and turns said trip-rods so as to cause them to release the hammer-springs, which coact with the firingpins to explode the cartridges;

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An initiating device having a revoluble member, means to revolve the same, means to lock and predetermine the extent of the revolution thereof, electric lamps on opposite sides of said revoluble member, successively displayed by the rotation thereof, a source of energy, and connections including the same and the said lamps.

2. An initiating device having a revoluble member, means to lock and predetermine the extent of the revolution thereof, electric lamps on opposite sides of' said revoluble member, a source of energy and connections to successively include the respective lamps in circuit with the source of energy as the revoluble member rotates.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a revoluble display element, and a firing mechanism including a hammer, and a trigger to release the hammer, said trigger projecting into the path of the revoluble display element for operation thereby.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' LEWIS D. COOK. Witnesses:

J. W. GARNER, E. P. BUNYEA. 

